Haiti already has very high rates of tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, viral and respiratory disease. Many thousands will have no access to life-saving medications.

The U.S. State Department Operations Center has set up the following number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti: 1.888.407.4747.

Wyclef Jean has issued an urgent pleas to help his struggling homeland. Writing at his website, the popular singer and producer said: "Haiti today faced a natural disaster of unprecedented proportion, an earthquake unlike anything the country has ever experienced. I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse. The over 2 million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now."

How you can help: Use your cell phone right now to help via texting:
Text "HAITI" to 90999 to donate $10 (American Red Cross).

• Donate via the American Red Cross new LGBT donation site HERE. The program was created by the gay-owned Olivia, Atlantis and RSVP cruise lines to track LGBT donations.

Comments

Things like this really put things into perspective, and allow at least me to step back and look @ life a bit...more objectively. My heart and prayers go to all of these people and their families near & far.-QH

and if anybody wants to donate to a tough grassroots organization that has minimal overhead and 20 close partner orgs on the ground, Operation Green Leaves' website is http://www.oglhaiti.com/.

They've just set up a special fund to help individual families who they know personally, and who are desperate, so even a micro-donation can make a big difference here.

I personally know Nadine Patrice, OGL's E.D., who is a friend & colleague in the burgeoning Restoration movement. She is from Haiti, and her longtime work in helping restore forests to Haiti's ecological collapse has provided health, hope, and income for people who have little.

As she said today: "Millions of dollars have been given to the government of Haiti for more than 20 years, yet there is NO adequate fire department. That is UNACCEPTABLE."

And thanks Rod for being on top this story. I know what pain feels like, and that doesn't even begin to compare to the excruciating, body-torn pain people down there are experiencing at this very moment.